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David De Gea came up through the Atletico youth system before making his debut in 2009
Atletico Madrid goalkeeper David De Gea is set to join Manchester United, with Sir Alex Ferguson confirming that the young Spaniard will be Edwin van der Sar's replacement.
De Gea, 20, has been Atletico's first-choice custodian for the past two years after progressing through the club's youth team and has starred for the Rojiblancos since making his debut in 2009.
The youngster's meteroric rise will continue after Ferguson revealed De Gea is set to leave his hometown club to join fellow Spanish 'keeper Pepe Reina in the Premier League.
"We've been working on it for quite a while," Ferguson said after Gary Neville's testimonial on Tuesday night. "We identified him quite a while back as one we should go for."
Current United No. 1 Edwin van der Sar announced earlier this year that he plans to hang up his gloves at the end of the season, prompting Sir Alex Ferguson to scour Europe for a suitable replacement for the veteran Dutchman.
It took Ferguson some time to find a successor to legendary United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel after his departure in 1999, with Van der Sar arguably the only man who has managed to suitably fill the void left by the Dane's exit.
The Spain Under-21 international is believed to have been weighing up a move for a while, with United privately expressing their interest to Atletico a few months ago.
But according to Spanish daily AS, De Gea has decided to take the plunge and move to England with his family, with United tipped to officially announce the signing - thought to be around £16 million - on Monday.
The likes of Maarten Stekelenburg, Hugo Lloris and Manuel Neuer had also been linked with United, who brought in Danish goalkeeper Anders Lindegaard as added cover from Aalesund in January.
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To David Peter....... How do you think!!!!!! Cash is normally the answer. As to MAN UTD's debt how much do you actually think we are in??? Sir alex if he so wishes has a kitty of around 96.38m but being a tight git he hasn't spent it. Man utd's debt dropped by 17% by the end of 2010 season. Merchandising just on shirt sales went up by 7.14%, merchandising on everything else went up by 9.81%. And as for a feeder club to RM, I don't think so name me another club that was willing to pay a huge ammount over the odds for a diver with abit of flair
Utter nonsense - exactly how is Manure going to pay for him?
Manure is totally skint, and there is no way that he will be coming to the Theatre of Debt - unless of course, Manure sells a number of players to their senior partner Real Madrid!
After all, Manure is a feeder club for Real Madrid, is it not?
From what I've seen he will be a great signing.
david Peter - obviously someone with a very limited knowledge of the greatest club in the land - 19 titles prove that!
Probably a city supporter who has learned how to write!!
david peter u sound like and jealous supporter of an inadequate club like liverpool or arsenal................. STFU until u actually know what your talking about manu aint a feeder club to Real Madrid and there not skint either. If your read your facts you would now realise that as from the end of the 2010/2011 season all premier league clubs can now only buy players with funds obtained from ticket sales merchandising and the salle of other palyers making manchester uniter far from skint..................... its the owners that are skint and they my unknowledgable friend are called the glazers
utd have a big ground 76 0000 which accounts for the turn over of rev each year they also have a big advertising deal of some 80 million 3 years leff on the deal with some other advertising deals on the plus side pulling in some 220 million , on the neg side with all that money coming in they still manage to publish loss of 87 mill for last year , an the year be for that publish loss of over 100 million in the last 4 years alone have lost over 200 milliion, paint it how you wish utd are running on operating cost which means any money coming in goes on the debt and running of the team , they prob wont see a profit for a few more years , you dont just buy a team an instant make millions you have year plan in 3-4 years may break even get back wot you have put in a few losses on the way and say in year 5 will show a profit so far united are loose in money they are not the richest club by far the bank owns the team
David Peter where do you get your info. from?
Man U are the third richest club in the world, AND THE RICHEST IN BRITAIN. read the papers. D**khead
Come on guys. How many of you actually know of or were aware of this individual!!!
Additionally, SLUR relies on others, the SCOUTS, who in typical MAN U fashion get little credit.
Just like the Munich disaster, it wasn't Busby who saved the club.
But it will be SLUR who condems the club with his spending - Wait and See. SLURs time is nearly done.